Like Lilies of the Field

My name is Elena and I'm 37 years old. I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis when I was 33, and this is my blog about living with the disease.

I’m scared. I’m scared of chronic pain. I’m scared of taking medications. Forever. I’m scared of side effects. Thoughts like “Am I really more likely to get a heart attack? Or lymphoma? How aggressive will it get? Will I always have insurance?” linger in my head. I cry a lot. I’m impatient. I want answers.

Then I try to remember the lilies of the field, to not worry about tomorrow, and to keep my faith strong. I need to slow down, to remind myself to take things slowly, and to enjoy life one day at a time.

Consider the words of Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount encouraging us to forget our worldly needs:

“Why take ye thought for raiment [clothing]? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin.

And yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.”